Icing-machine for confectionery



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N6 Model.)

- J. H. MITCHELL.

ICING MAGHINE FOR GONPEGTIONERY. v No. 271,897. Patented Feb. 6,1883.

FIG].

FIG.1.

/z /MAQ, /M v N. PETERS. PholoLithographer. Wnhimdom D. C.

v 2 Sheets-Sheet -2.

(No Model.)

J. H. MITCHELL. 101m MACHINE FOR GONPEGTIONERY.

Patented Feb. 6, 1883.

INVENTOR v WITNESSES:

UNITED "STATES PATENT lemon.

ICING-MACHINE FOR CONFECTIQNERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,897, dated February 6, 1883. Application filed December 21, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. HENRY MITGHELL, of the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Icing-Machines for Confectionery, of which improve-- ments the following is a specification.

The object of my inventiouis to effect the icing or coating of cakes, confectionery, &c.,

. [O by machinery; and the improvements embody the following main features of construction: a revolving drum of large diameter provided with radiating pin-points upon its periphery for holding the cakes, feeding devices whereby I 5 the cakes, 850., are supplied to said drum, brushes for applying the icing tothe cakes upon the drum, a stripper-plate adapted to enter beneath the cakes and remove them from the pin-points, and devices for supplying the icing to the brushes by atmospheric pressure. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, a plan view. Figs. 3 and 4 are opposite elevations. Fig.5 is a view of the adjustable bearing. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the air-pump; and Fig. 7is a vertical section through the icing receptacle and brushes, the scale of the last three figures being enlarged. 0 A represents the frame ofthe machine, made of wood or other suitable material, and so constrncted as to carry all bearings.

B represents the main driving-shaft, having on one end fast and loose pulleys B B, re-

5 spectively. On the other end of the shaft B is a chain-wheel, F, which drives, by means of a chain, F, the chain-pinions of the several rollers E K N, Fig. 1, and of the rotating brush-shaft S. Other rollers, E K N, and a 0 tightening-pinion, l, are mounted, as shown,

upon the frame A. The bearings of the drivingshaft B, rollers E K N N, and pinion I are rendered adjustable by devices, one of whichisshown in Fig.5, consisting in a guide- 5 piece, a, in which the bearing-block 1; slides freely, and a set-screw, c, by which it may be secured in a given position. To the main shaft B is key'ed'or fastened a large drum, D-, the periphery of which is covered with radiating pin-points arranged in t parallel rows, whichare equidistant-from one another and perpendicular to the axis of retation.

Resting upon the drum D is a stripperplate, D, provided with aseries of slots corresponding in number and position with the radiating rows of pin-points upon the drum D, thus a lowing the stripper-plate D to rest upon the surface of the drum D between thepin-points, which project through the slots. end of the inclined stripper-plate D is in contact withthc upper surface of a carrying-belt, D, stretched upon the rollers E E, and held up to the stripper-plate D by a belt-support,

k, resting on cross-pieces c e, mounted upon 6 the projecting arms 01 d. The carrying-belt D is worked forward in direction of arrow by rotation of the roller E, and any slack in the belt can be taken up by means of the adjustable roller E. 7o

Resting upon the belt D, at a point where it is on the roller E,is a second inclined strippingplate, L, whose lower end terminates a short distance above the surface of the carryin g-belt J, stretched uponithe rollers K K, by 7 5 the former of which it is actuated in the di- 'rection of the arrow, and by the latter of which it may be tightened by adjustment of the bearings, as before described. The second stripper-plate, L, is held in position by 80 the two sliding clamps f, provided with slots and wingbolts g, by means of which it may be adjusted toward or from the roller E.

The carrying-belt D is elevated above the belt J a sufficient distance to permit the cake 8 pans or trays to be inserted upon the upper surface of the latter, and the vertical distance between the lower end of the stripping-plate L and the surface of the belt J is just sufticient to clear the rim of such pan or tray. go

A hopper or chute, M, is mounted at the end of frame A, its flaring sides extending outward on each side of themachine, and its bottom being inclined toward an endless carryingbelt, 0. The belt 0 is stretched between the 5 rollers N N, by the former of which it is actuated in the direction of the arrow,and both of which are adjustable by means of the sliding bearings h. A stop-piece, L, extends across the entire widtli of the hopper M, and is ad- IOO justable toward or from the inclined bottom by means of slots and wing-bolts The other g 10 1), opening upward.

25 is shown in Fig. 7.

Upon the shaft of the roller N is keyed a crank, m,,slotted in the ordinary manner for the adjustment of the crank-pin to produce a long or short stroke. A connecting-rod, m,

5 leads from the crank 'm to the piston of an airpnmp, 0, mounted on the frame A. The construction of the air-pump O is shown in Fig. 6. It consists of a chamber, provided with an air-tight piston, O, which has a spring-valve,

The chamber 0 is provided with spring-valves P P--the former at the top opening outward, the latter at the bottom opening inward. As the piston O is lifted the outside air enters into the chamber I 0 by the opening of the valve P, and upon the chamber 0, from which it will be expelled through the upper valve, P, into the exit-pipe It upon the return or upward motion of the piston O. The pipe R leads to the top part ofthe material-box Q, a sectional view of which chamber, Q, upon the top or which is a trough, Q, holding two rotary brushes, ST, and communicating with the chamber by a pipe, t, which extends nearly to the bottom, as shown.

0 The chamber Q has two outlets, a R, which are tightly closed by screw-caps, the outlet it being situated just below the level of the airblast pipe R. A drip-trough, Q, is also mounted upon the chamber Q, adjacent to the trough Q, and extends under the drum D.

In the trough Q are located two revolving brushes, S T, having their shafts working in hearings q, fastened to the trame of the machine A. The periphery of the two brushes 0 touches the bottom of the chamber Q, and

same shaft is fastened a large gear-wheel, U. which engages with a pinion, V, keyed or fastened to the shaft of the other brush, T. By this construction the two brushes S and T revolve in opposite directions from each other,

the former rotating in the direction of rotation of the drum D, and the difterencein the speed of the two brushes is such that the motion of each relative to the adjacent moving surface of the drum D is the same.

To operate the machine, icing is poured into the'chamber Q through the pipe t. the aperture a being left open in orderthat the liquid may not rise high enough to flow into the airpipe R and clog the valves, and when the chamber Q is properly filled the opening a is tightly closed. (lakes are placed in the hopper M and slide down upon the belt I. Power being then applied to the driving-pulley B, the belt I carries the cakes up to the drum D, and

as the belt turns over the roller 'N they are impaled upon the pin-points with which the drum is covered. The rotation of the drum 1) It consists of an air-tight brings the cakes to the icing-brushes,which are rotating in the trough Q, kept supplied with icing by means of the air-blast from the pump 0. The brushes spread the icing upon the cakes in opposite directions, thus insuring the thoroughness and uniformity of the coating, and by reason of the gearing before described they brush the movingcake at the same rate'of speed. The iced cakes then are carried upward bythedrum,anysurplusicingdroppiug into the drip-trough Q, and when they reach the stripper-plate D the rows of pins pass into the slots of the latter, and thus withdraw from the cakes, which slide down the incline onto the 'beltD. Upon this belt they travel to the second stripper-plate, I1, by which they are removed from the belt D and' directed downward toward the belt J. The belt J is continuously supplied with pans by the operators,who insert them thereon underneath the beltD, and as the pans travel beneath the end of the inclined plate L the cakes drop into them. When the pans reach the end of the machine they are removed and placed aside for the icing to dry properly.

The rollerNmay be adjusted toward the drum D to suit cakes of various thicknesses, and all the belts can be kept tight by the adjusting devices before referred to. So, also, the drum D may be vertically adjusted toward the brushes 1. In a machine for coating cakes, &c., a carrying-drum provided with projecting pins upon its surface, adapted to receive and hold the cakes, 850., during the application of the coating. j

2. The combination of a drum,having projecting pins upon its periphery, with stripperfingers which enter between said pins, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposes specilied.

3. The combination of a drum, having pro jecting pins upon its periphery, with a roller adjacent thereto, a carrying-belt which passes around said roller, and actuating devices, operating substantially in the manner specified, whereby cakesdeposited upon said belt may be impaled upon the projecting pins of the drum.

4. In "combination with the drum and the carrying-belt, a belt-roller adjacent to said drum and adjustable toward and from the same, substantially asset forth.

5. The combination, with a revolving drum having holding devlces upon its periphery, of an icing device,whereby cakes, &c., supported upon said drum may be coated, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a carrying-drum set forth.

revolving on a horizontal axis, of an icing device operatingnpon the under side of said drum, substantially as andifor the purposes set forth. 0

7; flhe combination of the revolving drum with the icing-brushes rotating in opposite directions from one another, substantially as 8. The combination with the icing device,

of a receptacle communicating therewith, and 10 means, substantially as set forth, for feeding the contents of said receptacle to the icing device by atmospheric pressure.

J. HENRY MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F, ZIEGLER, J. WALTER DOUGLASS. 

